Development Director

About Hennepin History Museum

We preserve and explore history in the Twin Cities region, creating spaces where our communities’ stories can be told. With a compelling mission, vision, and strategic plan, we are poised to build on our core strengths: a museum building with exhibit galleries and a research library, a varied mix of public programs, a popular history magazine; and community collaborations that drive over 80% of programming.

We are on a path to maximize our relevance to a broader audience, strengthen institutional foundations, and transform our identity through equity and inclusion. The annual revenue budget is $736,000, about 60% of which is raised through this position. We are currently in the early stages of defining a capital and capacity-building campaign to grow our organization and improve our historic building in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Hennepin History Museum seeks an experienced development professional to expand our fundraising capacity through continued annual fund growth, grant writing, and the launch of the organization’s first capital campaign. We invite motivated people to join a small staff and energized board and take advantage of opportunities for individual leadership and professional growth.

• Provideleadershipinbuildingthedevelopmentprogramfor Hennepin History Museum, with a balanced focus on individual, foundation, corporate, and government sources.
• Manage a multi-year capital campaign in collaboration with the Executive Director, board of directors, and external consultants.
• Build the major gifts program by both broadening our donor base and increasing support from current donors.
• Maintain and grow the museum membership base, including through the execution of regular membership campaigns and events.
• Develop and maintain a master calendar plan for timely funding requests and required reports to institutional funders.
• Author case statements, proposals, letters of request, and impact reports designed to cultivate, solicit, and steward funders to reach fundraising goals.
• Oversee the grants life cycle in its entirety with all funders, maintaining accurate records of grant activities and ensuring all documentation is complete and compliant.
• Develop project budgets and work with the Executive Director to set annual revenue goals.
• Prepare thorough and timely reports for staff and board members; coordinate Board Development Committee meetings to further the goals of the program.
• Coordinate and assist the work of board members and volunteers in fundraising activities such as member events, receptions, and small group social gatherings.
• Serve as an ambassador for the museum in the community, with occasional travel to offsite locations.

• Nonprofit fundraising experience, especially with an organizational development program in growth mode.
• Demonstrated prospect identification and donor engagement/development; ability to cultivate strong relationships.
• Database management experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills; a ability to lead and work effectively with others, including volunteers, staff, prospects, and donors.
• Ability to successfully write grants to foundation and government entities.
• Ability to set, articulate and achieve measurable goals and outcomes; to translate long-term strategies into day-to-day activities.
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent.

• Experience in any aspect of a capital campaign, from research, strategy, or donor engagement.
• Knowledge of the local, regional, and corporate foundation community.
• Ability to connect with and relate to people of diverse ethnic, socio-economic, and geographical backgrounds.
• Passion for local, state, and national history and the important role museums play in society.